Camera-stand



(No Model.)

E. 0. FISHER.

CAMERA STAND.

No. 419,006. Patented Jan. 7, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIIN C. FISHER, OF CLAREMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

CAM ERA-STAN D.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 419,006, dated January7, 1890.

Application tiled July 22, 1889. Serial No. 318,339. (No model.)

1 certain new and usefulImprovements in Caniera-Stands; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others 'skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use the same.

The object of the invention is to provide a camera-stand combiningseveral advantages, one of which is the capacity of lowering thecamera-rest, when desired, to a point nearer the base of t-he stand thancould be done by constructions heretofore employed. Cheapness andsimplicity of construction and certainty and ease of operation are alsoattained.

Theinventiou consists in certain devices and combinations thereofhereinafter described and pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a front elevation partly insection. Fig. 2 is a side eleva-tion partly in section, and Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section taken below the camera-rest and above the base.

A A indicate parallel standards supported on the base B. They are eachprovided interiorly with a groove or channel F or F', extending to thebase, which is preferably T- shaped in cross-section, and extendsthrough the inner side of the standard in manner as indicated, and sothat the clamping-nuts E E', connected by the rod or bolt D, may bemoved up or down therein. The rod is provided at its ends withreversely-formed screwthreads engaging similarly-formed threads in thenuts, the construction being such that the latter can be madesimultaneously to approach or recede from each other by turning rod D.

C denotes a vertically-movable camera rest or frame having a top ortable C', made adjust-able vertically by means of curved arm or bracketC2 and set-screw C3, as shown. Other means for effecting this adjustmentmay be employed. The rod D passes through the ends or upright members ofthe frame, and springs G G are secured to the upper portions of thesame. The springs are coiled in recesses formed in the upper parts ofthe standards or in suitably-enlarged parts thereof.

The base is preferably provided with three feet, and also with casters,as indicated.

In operation the camera-rest can be moved up or down, the nuts E Ehaving been loosened by suitably turning the screw-rod, and it can befastened in any desired position by turning the rod in the oppositedirection, with the effect to cause the nuts to approach each other andclamp or press upon the inner wall of the groove, it being understoodthat each of these nuts is wider than the narrow part of the groovethrough which the rod extends, while it preferably has a narrowerprojecting part that iits in said narrow part of the groove. It will beseen that bythe construction described the camera-rest can be moved downto the base, and as the latter need be but a few inches high the restcan be moved to a point very near the level of the Hoor or ground. Theconstruction also is such that by dispensing with casters, or byemploying very small ones in a thin base, the rest could be moved towithin one or two inches of the floor, or the standards, with or withoutcasters, might rest directly on the ioor, being connected and supportedby a lateral frame outside the path of the rest, said frame having avertical member also resting on the floor' to give stability,substantially as indicated in Fig. 4. It is often desired to drop thecamera much lower than practicable by means of stands such as now inuse, which support the cam era-rest entirely above the standards, and donot permit of its free adjustmentbetween them and down to a point neartheir feet or near the fioor. The springs G G are so arranged that theytend to support the camerarest, and that their tension is increased whenit is lowered, and they therefore assist in raising it. These springsare conveniently arranged, as indicated, and the structure as a whole issimple, durable, and well adapted for the uses and advantages indicated.

In manufacture its proportions may be varied according to circumstances,and various details can also be varied by mechanical skill withoutdeparting from the invention. Thus the springs might be omitted or adifferent form of spring employed, or even counterbalancing-weightssubstituted; and neither the particular form of camera-rest nor ofclamping devices, nor of means for connect- IOO ing the rest and thestandards, nor the number or particular form of the standards, is of thegist of the invention, nor the form of the base. It is, however,characteristic of the improvement that the camera-rest can be raised andlowered and suitably supported at the side of one or more standards,substantially as specified, and so that it can be raised to near the topof such standard or lowered to its foot, the latter position being adesirable one for some uses, as those skilled in the art willunderstand.

I am aware that a camera-table has been combined with toggle-levers,spring, and handle or operating-lever, whereby the table could be heldat any desired position, and such devices are not of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by LettersPatent is- I. In a camera-stand, a vertical standard, a camera-rest, anddevices for clamping the rest to the standard, the rest being adjustableto points below the top of the standard and near its foot, substantiallyas described.

2. In a camera-stand, vertical standards, a camera-rest, and clampingdevices to clamp the rest to the sides of the standards, the rest beingadjustable to a point near the foot of the standards, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a camera-stand, the standards provided with springs secured to thecamera-rest, said rest and clamping devices adjustable at the sides ofthe standards to near their foot, substantially as described.

4. In a camera-stand, the grooved standards, the camera-rest, thereversely screwthreaded rod, and the threaded nuts located in thechannels or grooves, all the parts being below the plane of the table,and the rod and nuts being adapted to draw the standards toward eachother, substantially as described.

5. In a camera-stand, the grooved stand- -ards, the camera-rest, thereversely screwtal part provided with a set-screw, the upper horizontalpart, the Yclamping-rod accessible between said horizontal parts, andthe table provided with a curved bracket extending around the rod andupper horizontal part,.

substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this .specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

EDWIN C. FISHER.

\Vitnesses: I

ALBERT BA LL, FRANK A. BALL.

